Headlight shielding devices



W.HUTWELKER 3,349,674

HEADLIGHT SHIELDING DEVICES Filed sept. 27, 1965 5 sheets-sheet 1 59MWM-1,

Oct. 31, 1967 1 w. HUTWELKER 3,349,674

HEADLIGII'I` SHIELDING DEVICES 1 Filed sept. 327, 1965 5 sheets-Sheet 2-Figs Oct 31, 1957 w. HUTwELKl-:R 3,349,674

HEADLIGHT vSHIELDING DEVI CES Filed Sept. 27, 1965 5 Sheets-Shee`lt 5www?.

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HEADLIGHT SHIELDING DEVICES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 27, 1965 Figs ,Inventor: im #M Mw Oct. 31, 1967 w. HUTWELKER 3,349,674 HEADLIGHTSHIELDING DEVICES.

Filed Sept. 27, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lnvemor: hun HM VMM United StatesPatent O 3,349,674 HEADLIGHT SI-IIELDING DEVICES Walter Hutwelker,Waltrop, Germany, assignor to Eisen und Metall Aktiengesellschaft,Gelsenkirchen, Germany Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,217 3 Claims.(Cl. 94-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A headlight shielding device for aroad includes a series of shielding elements, and means for mounting theshielding elements uprightly and rotatably along the road.

The invention relates to a headlight shielding device, and relates moreparticularly to devices of this type which are used in connection with aroad that carries oppositely moving automotive traflic.

Headlight shielding devices are known which are put between the twoopposite traiiic lanes. These have taken the form of continuous fences,or plane single elements with or without frames which are mounted atcertain intervals either on the ground or on stanchion guiding planks.These elements, which are often known as lamellae, may be so shaped thateach shielding element is thin as compared to its length and is eithercurved including in some cases wave-shaped, or otherwise shaped, and istiltable about a fixed upright shaft so that it may be turnedsubstantially perpendicularly to the direction of impact of theheadlights of the automobiles that travel on the road.

It is among the principal objects of the instant invention to provide aheadlight shielding device which, as compared to the prior art, hasadvantages in point of form, ease of manufacture, simplicity ofmounting, and ease of adjustment.

It is another object of the invention to provide shielding elements forsuch devices which are formed of hollow extruded aluminum shapes.

Generally speaking, the invention provides such a shielding elementwhich has a Central tubular section with a hollow circular recess aboutthe longitudinal axis of the elongated lamella element, and has twoopposite arcuate sections that are integrally connected to the centralsection; each of the arcuate sections approximate a sine curve, and thecurvature of the arcuate sections of each pair are oppositely orientedto face in opposite directions.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inpart in the following specification and in part will be obvioustherefrom without being specifically -referred to, the same beingrealized and attained as pointed out in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan View of a headlight shielding device inaccordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the headlight shieldingdevice;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a shielding element, thesupport means thereof, and the mode of interconnection;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of a shielding element lamella;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational View of a spar connecting piece;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the spar connecting piece of FIG.5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a hollow tubular spar;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the spar of FIG. 7;

3,349,674 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevationalview of a post and an additional support for the tubular spar;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the support of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of several posts and partsassembled thereon, though various parts including the shielding elementsand their shafts and the planks have, for the sake of clarity andsimplicity, been omitted.

As shown in FIGS. l and 2, each shielding element 1 is supporteduprightly above support means which extend substantially parallel alongthe road surface (not shown). Each element 1 is composed of a hollowextruded shape composed of aluminum. The surface of the aluminum may beanodized, electro-oxidized, sprayed, brushed or treated in any othersuitable manner, to reduce the reflection characteristics of thesurface. For marking purposes, however, reflectors may by mounted on theindividual lamellae.

Each element 1, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a centralsection that denes a hollow circular recess about the longitudinal axisof the element 1. With this recess, the element 1 is mounted uprightlyon an upright shaft 2. During mounting, the elements 1 may be adjustedvertically on the shafts 2, as well as being angularly positioned forproper headlight shielding. Each element 1 is t to its shaft 2 at africtional telescopic relationship so as to permit lowering, raising andturning of each element 1 on its shaft 2.

The shafts 2 form part of the support means for the elements 1. Thesupport means furthermore comprise ground-engaging posts 7 which suspendone or more tubular spars 3 that extend substantially parallel to theroad surface. The tubular spar 3 is composed of a smooth tube at the endof which, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and 11, there is welded amounting plate 6 that is provided with holes 13. The mounting plate 6 isconnected by bolts 14 to a post 7, as shown in FIG. 3. The customarystanchion guiding planks 8 may be mounted on the posts 7. As thedistance Ibetween the posts 7 through the holes 1S thereof along theroad is not uniform, the other end of the spar 3 which does not carryany mounting plate 6, remains open.

The holes 13 serve to receive the bolts 14; the mounting plate 6furthermore has an aperture 6a that connects the interior of the tubularspar 3 with the exterior and serves to discharge excess zinc from thehot galvanizing of the spar 3.

The individual shafts 2 for the lamellae 1 are removably mounted on thespar 3,'with the aid of clamping means. These clamping means comprise anupper clip 2a and a U-shaped bolt 4 that carries a thread on each end,and protrudes with these threaded ends through holes in the clip 2a,where the threads engage nuts 5. The bolts 4 surround the lower portionof the spar 3, and each clip 2a carries an upright shaft 2. To positioneach shaft 2, the operator will adjust it to the proper position, andthen tighten the nuts 5. Each shaft 2 is integrally connected to itsclip 2a.

Each element 1, as stated, is formed of a hollow extruded aluminumshape. The length of the succeeding shapes may be changed by cutting, toconform the height to which the upper ends of the elements 1 extend tothe available overhead space, or to a desired design.

A spar connecting piece or splice element 12 (see FIGS. 5, 6 and 11) isprovided which, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, carries about midway a plate9 which is welded thereto. The plate 9 has an elongated aperture 16 tobe fastened at adjustable height to a post 7. The spar connecting piece12 has an internal diameter which is so dimensioned that it will tproperly, in telescoping fashion, into the open end of the tubular spar3. The connecting piece 12 serves to support the open ends of alignedthough nonabutting tubular spars 3, as best shown in FIG. 11.

Where a tubular spar 3 extends along two or more posts 7, it may besupported, in accordance with the illustration of FIGS. 9 and l0 and 11,by means of support saddles 10. Each saddle 10 is mounted on a post 7,by means of screws 11, and the height to which the saddle 10 may bemounted is adjustable, owing to elongated lrecesses 17 formed in thelegs of the saddle 10 through which the screws 11 project.

The guiding planks 8 which are carried by the posts 7, may extend alongan entire series of posts 7.

The instant invention has the advantage of simplified assembly, lowmaintenance costs, and easy adaptability to local conditions, such asrising or curving road surfaces. Another advantage is the high scrapvalue of the instant lamellae elements 1, which helps reduce the overallcosts Where it is necessary to exchange damaged lamellae.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tobe secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a headlight shielding device, for use in connection With a roadcarrying automotive traffic moving in opposite directions, a series ofaligned shielding elements, the alignment being parallel to a roadreference line along the longitudinal dimension of the road, supportmeans extending at a level above the road surface and including a seriesof upright shafts, one for each shielding element, each shieldingelement comprising a thin elongated curved lamella formed of a hollowextruded shape of aluminum, comprising a central section defining ahollow circular recess about said longitudinal axis, said centralsection being mounted telescopically on a shaft rotatably about itslongitudinal upright axis, whereby each lamella may be turnedsubstantially perpeudicularly to the direction of impact of the rays ofthe automotive headlights, and each lamella further comprising twoopposite arcuate sections integrally connected to said central section.

2. In a headlight shielding device, as claimed in claim 1, said supportmeans comprising a tubular spar disposed substantially parallel to theroad surface, and means supporting said shafts upright on said sparcomprising a series of clamping means each connected to a shaft and eachremovably positioned on said spar.

3. In a headlight shielding device, as claimed in claim 1, said supportmeans comprising a tubular spar disposed substantially parallel to theroad surface, a series of upright ground-engaging posts, stanchionguiding planks supported by said posts, and means operable forvertically adjustably connecting said spar to said posts comprising aseries of connecting plates, one for each post, at least some of saidconnecting plates having elongated apertures, and fastening meansincluding members operative to project through said apertures operablefor connecting each connecting plate to a post.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JACOB L. NACKENOFF, PrimaryExaminer.

1. IN A HEADLIGHT SHIELDING DEVICE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A ROADCARRYING AUTOMOTIVE TRAFFIC MOVING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, A SERIES OFALIGNED SHIELDING ELEMENTS, THE ALIGNMENT BEING PARALLEL TO A ROADREFRENCE LINE ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL DIMENSION OF THE ROAD, SUPPORTMEANS EXTENDING AT LEVEL ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE AND INCLUDING A SERIESOF UPRIGHT SHAFTS, ONE FOR EACH SHIELDING ELEMENT, EACH SHIELDINGELEMENT COMPRISING A THIN ELONGATED CURVED LAMELLA FORMED OF A HOLLOWEXTRUDED SHAPE OF ALUMINUM, COMPRISING A CENTRAL SECTION DEFINING AHOLLOW CIRCULAR RECESS ABOUT SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID CENTRALSECTION BEING MOUNTED TELESCOPICALLY ON A SHAFT ROTATABLY ABOUT ITSLONGITUDINAL UPRIGHT AXIS, WHEREBY EACH LAMELLA MAY BE TURNEDSUBSTNATIALLY PERPENDICULARLY TO THE DIRECTION OF IMPACT OF THE RAYS OFTHE AUTOMOTIVE HEADLIGHTS, AND EACH LAMELLA FURTHER COMPRISING TWOOPPOSITE ARCUATE SECTIONS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO SAID CENTRAL SECTION.